Gretchen Ehlman loved working for Butler and did a lot for the city during her many years of service.

She worked for the Butler Redevelopment Authority for 27 years, including 17 as executive director, followed by 13 years as the elected city controller, the position she held until she died Dec. 20 following a two-year battle with cholangiocarcinoma. She was 73.

“She loved working for the city,” said her daughter, Amy Sheptak of Butler. “When she was the director, that's what she took the most pride in.”

Ehlman started working for the authority in December 1977 and became an administrative assistant in October 1978. She became executive director in January 1988 and held that position until July 2003. She began serving as controller in January 2006.

During her time leading the authority, Ehlman helped secure grant funding for rental apartments for income-eligible families on Kaufman Drive and Butler Arbors, which is designated for seniors and people with disabilities.

She also obtained funding the Bureau of Fire used to buy a ladder truck and a fire prevention education trailer that the fire department takes to elementary schools during Fire Prevention Month every October. The trailer bears the names of Ehlman and others who helped secure the funding.

“She did a lot for the fire department as well. She helped with the trailer and with their first ladder truck,” Sheptak said.

Firefighters thanked her one last time by serving as pallbearers at Ehlman's funeral Friday. The funeral procession paused in front of the City Building in Ehlman's honor.

“The firemen were her pallbearers, which touched me,” Sheptak said. “They had a moment of silence at the City Building on Friday after the funeral. I'm finding out by talking to people how much she was loved by everybody.”

Mayor Ben Smith said Ehlman was a kind person and an excellent controller.

“She was always very kind and warm when I talked to her. She always asked me about my kids and how things were going,” Smith said. “She always performed her duty with excellence. She always did the job well and was happy to have the job.”

Outside of work, Ehlman loved her grandchildren, her dogs and gambling.

“Scratch off (tickets), she loved to gamble,” Shepak said. “She would go to casinos with my aunt. Even up until the week before she died, (she did) the scratch-offs. That was her daily thing. That's what kept her going.”

She said her mother never missed her grandson Coltyn Dickison's football games or her granddaughter Chelsey Roc's soccer matches.

“Her grandchildren were very important to her. She loved them and did what she could for them,” Sheptak said.

The ashes of Cody, her schnauzer who died a couple years ago, were buried with her as Ehlman requested. Sheptak said she inherited her mother's last dog, a Jack Russell terrier named Daisy.

Gretchen Ehlman